Fire extinguishing system



Feb. 23, 1943' C, UNDSAY 2,311,844

FIRE EXTINGUISHINC- SYSTEM Filed Dec. 11, 71937 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 N V ENTOR;

A TTORNEYS.

Feb. 23, .1943. 2,311,844

FIRE EXT INGUISHING SYSTEM Filed Bee 11, 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 [NI 12mm.

A TTORNEYS.

Feb. 23; 1943.

c. H. LINDSAY FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 11, 1937 5 sh'ets-sheei 3 A T T ORNEYS.

Feb. 23; 1943. Q UNDSAY 'Z,'311,844

FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM I Filed Dec. 11; 1937 5 Sheets-Sheet 4'IIIIIIIIII v\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\ IN V EN TOR.

w ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 23, I943".

c. H. LINDSAY 2311;844'

FIRE EXTI NGUISHING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 1l, 1937' 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 atentedFeb. 23, 1943 s'rras ,A'raNr l 111a axrmemsmne SYSTEM chimes n. Lindsay,Elmira, N. Y., assignor to American-La France-Foamite Corporation, 151-mira, N. E, a corporation oi New York Application December 11, 1937,Serial No. 179,325 7 27 Claims. (Cl. 169-2).

which are illustrated in the drawings wherein:

Figs. 1 and 2 are respectively plan and elevation of a portion of anaeroplane having the invention installed;

Fig. 3, an elevation of the selector valve, parts broken away;

Fig. 4, a side view of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5, an axial section of Fig. 3 online V-V;

Fig. 6, a sectionon lineVI-VI of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7, an. elevation or side view of the selector valve afteroperation;

Fig. 8, a detail of the safety vent and tell-tale;

Fig. 9, a longitudinal section of the flask op-v erating head;

Fig. 10, a section thereof on line X-X, and

Fig. 11, a detail of the index-escutcheon plate.

In the illustrated embodiment, the system is applied to a twin-motoredaeroplane of conventional type and comprises a flask i of liquid CO2gas, or equivalent fire extinguishing medium under pressure, shown asstored in a convenient location. under the deck flooring of thefuselage. This flask, or each of them if more than one is required, isprovided with an operating head 2 (Figs. 9-10) which, as customary,includes a puncturable sealing disk 3 and a device or cutter 4ifor-puncturing it, together with suitable means later described wherebyan external force applied to the head will puncture the disk and allowthe gas to escape into a pipe system through which it reaches itsintended destination.

Such destination is determined by a single operating device, at theoperators station, which is the handle of a selector valve included inthe system and serves the dual purpose (1) of directing the dischargedgas to a selected outlet, by which is meant causing a path to beestablished through which the gas may flow from the flask to the fire,and (2) of opening the flask to cause the flow through the path thusselected. The pipe system comprises a main discharge pipe 5 leading fromthe flask head to the selector valve 6 from which radiate theseveralcontinuation pipes of which those marked 1 and 8 lead respectively tothe interior of the cowlings of the engine nacelles herein referred toas the fire hazards, understanding that the invention is intured by gaspressure behind it. Either thisdiflerent to the particular character ofsuch hazards and that there may be one'or more of them. a

The continuation pipe 9 leads from the selector valve to an outletfixture ill opening to atmosphere. In thenormal or ofl position of theoperating handle this pipe is connected by the valve to the gas supplypipe 5 so that, if gas leakage should occur or a sealing disk burst, thedischarge will be to atmosphere and not to a fire hazard which, in thecase of an airplane engine, would stop it.

The vent fixture it, as shown in Fig. 8 is secured in a hole in the skinll of the fuselage, on the underside ofthe forward part thereof as shownin Fig. 2. ,Its orifice is normally closed by a membrane i2 so fragileas'to be easily rupmembrane, or a similar supplementary membrane 53located behind it and also arranged to obstruct gas flow, is made of adistinctive color so as to serve as a tell-tale by which when the planeis grounded, the servicing attendants can readily observe the conditionof the system. If there-has been leakage or a disk rupture, one or bothof these membranes will indicate the fact by their absence and theabsence of the distinctive' color. This fixture connection thus performstwo safety functions.

The body 6 of the selector valve has a cover It, tightly closed to it bya ring of peripheral bolts l5 with an intervening gasket it. The severalpipes are connected to'the body 6 and terminate in corresponding valveports formed in the flat valve-seat surface thereof in the interior ofthe valve casing. The valve body and its valve seat are metal but themovable valve element which coacts therewith is constituted of anon-metallic flat disk i'l. It may be Bake lite or the equivalent. It iscarried non-rotatably on the squared end of a rotary hollow spindle l8journalled in the cover part It of the valve casing and therein sealedby a gland is. A threaded nipple 28 screwed into the end of the spindleclamps the valve disk in place and a spring washer 2i between the valvecover and disk normally urges the disk against its metallic seat. Whenthe system is functioning, the disk is additionally pressed to its seatby the pressure of the gas itself. Under such condition, it would bedifiicult if not impossible to turn the valve element since the gaspressure is normally in' the order of more than 800 pounds per squareinch, but by making the valve element non-metallic it is readily turnedas desired, while the gas is flowing.

It is noted that while the spindle requires a packing gland where itpasses through the valve cover no such gland is needed where it extendsthrough or into the valve body. Leakage is prevented at this point bythe engagement of the valve itself on its valve seat. Thus, only asingle gland is required.

The gas enters the valve chamber by the port 5 which is provided with anextension nipple 22 projecting from the valve seat where it is within aslot or notch 23 in the valve disk I! and 50 related to the disk as tolimit its rotation in each direction of rotation, indicated by thedotted lines in Fig. 6.

From the valve chamber the gas passes by way of the hole 24 in the valvedisk and through whichever one of the three outlet ports 1, 8 and 9,with which such hole is turned into registry, by the rotation of thedisk. In its normal position. being that indicated in Fig. 6, the gasoutlet is to the vent pipe; when turned to the left it is to thedistribution pipe 1, and when turned to the right it is to the other ofthe fire hazards.

The valve is attached to the dash panel, deck floor or any othersupporting wall 25, by its cover part I 4 which. for this purpose, istapped with four screw holes 28 symmetrically spaced about the valveaxis and adapted to take the adjustment screws 21 which appear in Figs.3 and 7 but before these screws are inserted the face or index plate 28is first placed on the outer side of the wall so that the screws serveto clamp the valve to the back side of the supporting wall and the indexplate 28 to the exposedside. In this way. the index plate serves also asan escutcheon for the hole cut in the supporting wall to receive thevalve spindle. While there are four tapped holes 26 in the valve cover,only two of them are shown in use: the other two are present to be usedin installations where the index plate requires to be set at a differentangle, four angular positions of such plate being provided for. Theindex plate carries the names of the stations corresponding to thedischarge connection established by the adjustment of the valve element.

The outer end of the valve spindle, being squared or angular in sectionis provided with two handles by means of either of which the valve diskmay be rotated. The inner handle marked 29 is fixed to the spindle by aset screw as indicated and is provided with a pointer adapted toregister with the station markings on the index plate 28.

The other handle 30 is the operating device above referred to being apull handle axially movable on the valve spindle so that it can bepulled utward and preferablv off of the spindle. By its interior anchorpiece 3|, this handle is secured to a cable 32 which runs through thehollow spindle and valve casing to the operating head 2 of the as flask,so that by pulling the handle the sealing disk in the latter can bepunctured and the was flow started. When thus operated the cable 2 pullsthrough the spindle to such extent that he handle, then disconnectedfrom the latter, hangs from the end of the spindle as indicated in Fig.4.

The cable is ordinarily housed in a pipe conduit 33 with sheaves 34 atthe angles. The ends of this conduit are threaded directly into valvecasing and flask head respectively, and the cable end is attached to apull wedge 35 in latter shown in Figs. 11 and 12. This wedge bears onits top side upon a set of rollers 36 and on its lower side on a roller31 on the end of the lever 88 which bears directly on the cutter member4 above referred to. Spring 39 acting on the lever tends to force thewedge to the retracted position indicated in the drawings, where it isreleasably retained by a spring detent as indicated. It will be apparentthat an easy pull on the cable will wedge the cutter lever 38 downwardlyor inwardly and thereby bring about the opening of the disk anddischarge of the gas.

However the pull handle can be pulled out for thus opening the flaskonly when it has first been turned to a station mark on the index platewhere the selector valve opens one of the gas ports leading to a firehazard. This restriction is imposed by an interlock formation betweenthe pull handle and some fixed part associated with the valve structure.Such interlocking formation can be variously contrived but as hereinshown is formed by providing a hook or projection 40 on the pull handle(Fig. 5) adapted to engage under or inside of the edge of the face plate28 and by cutting one or more notches in such edge as shown at 4| inFig. 11, one of these notches corresponding with each of the fire hazardports. Only when the pull handle has been turned so that this projectionregisters with one or the other of these notches, can it be pulled out.When the handle is set to any position other than a fire hazard station,the interlock projection 40 is not in registry with a notch andtherefore the handle can not be pulled to release the gas. When set tothe normal station the pipe system is connected by pipe 9 to theatmospheric vent as above explained, thus guarding against interferencewith engine functions as well as providing indicator means for thecondition of the system.

A small coil spring 42 housed inside of the outer end of the valvespindle, around the cable, and normally compressed by the cableanchorage 3|. when the pull handle is interlocked with the face plate,urges the handle outwardly so that it snaps automatically into registrywith a notch when turned to a fire hazard station, thus enabling theoperator to feel the correct setting without observing the pointer, thisbeing a particular aid when there are several hazards protected.

As indicated in Fig. l, the selector valve is located in a well in thefioor of the operator's cabin between the seats where it may be easilyreached. The operator simply turns the pull handle until the pointerregisters with the location of the fire and then pulls it, whichdischarges gas to the hazard. If however a mistake has been made or ifthere is need to direct some of the discharge to another station, thatmay then be done by the use of the inner or auxiliary valve handle 29still remaining on the spindle, and which can be turned by the fingersnotwithstanding the pressure as above pointed out.

I claim:

1. A system comprising a flask of compressed gas, a pipe systemconnecting it to a plurality of outlets, a rotary selector valve elementin said system having different stations for respectively directingdischarged gas to a selected one of said outlets, a gas release elementmovable in an axial direction with respect to said rotary element toopen said flask, and an operating handle adapted for rotatably operatingsaid valve element and axially operating said gas-release element.

2. A system comprising a flask of compressed gas, a pipe systemconnecting it to a plurality of system having different stationsrespectively corresponding to said outlets, a-gas release elementmovable in an axial direction with respect to said rotary element foropening said flask, an operating handle adapted for rotatably operatingsaid valve element and axially operating said release element, andinterlock means for said handle blocking its axial operation in certainrotary positions thereof. 7

3. A system as in claim 2 further characterized by said, operatinghandle being rotatable to two different stations, one of which is normaland vents the interior of. the pipe system to atmosphere, and another ofwhich connects the flask to a place of use, and being axially movableonly in the latter station for opening said flask.

4. A system as in claim 2 wherein said operating handle is axially androtatably mounted and adapted to turn said valve element to either oftwo stations, operating connections between said handle and the flaskfor opening the latter by the axial movement of the handle and means toprevent such axial movement between said stations.

5. A fire extinguishing system comprising a gasflask, .disk-sealed andprovided with a disk-puncturing device, a pipe system leading therefromto outlets one or more of said outlets being fire hazards, a pull handlehaving connections whereby pulling thereon actuates said puncturingdevice, said handle being rotary, a valve element operated by therotation thereof for directing gas to one of said outlets to theexclusion of others and an interlock between said handle and a fixedpart organized to block the pulling of said handle when not set todirect the gas to a fire hazard.

6. A system as in claim 5 in which th valve element is mounted on ahollow spindle and the puncturing means includes a cable extendingthrough said spindle.

7. A system as in claim 5 wherein the valve element is carried by a'hollow spindle, the pull handleis mounted on the end of such spindleand the puncturing means includes a cable extending through the. spindleattached to the handle.

8. A system as in claim 1 wherein the valve element is a non-metallicdisk carried on a tubular spindle and coacting with a metallic seatingsurface and pressed against said surface by the fluid pressure in thevalve casing, and the gas release element extends through said spindle.

9. A system as in claim 2 wherein the casin for the valve element isprovided with an index plate, and the operating handle is a pull handlehaving its interlocking engagement with said index plate.

10. A system as in claim 2 wherein the casing for the valve element isprovided with an index by pulling thereon 'actuate's said puncturingdevice. said handle being rotary, valve mechanism operated-thereby fordirecting gas to one of said hazards to the exclusion of others, aninterlock between said handle and a fixed part organizedto' block'thepulling of said handle except when set to direct gas to one of saidhazards and a vent pipe, said parts being organized to connect the ventpipe to said distribution system when the interlock blocks the'pullingof the handle.

13. A system as in claim 12 wherein the vent pi e is provided with agas-operated tell-tale.

14. In an airplane fire extinguishing system, a flask of compressed gasprovided with a gasreleasing device, a distribution pipe system, including a directing valve element, leading to the engine space. a gasrelease element, a single handle for operating both said element and avent pipe from said valve having an atmospheric outlet provided with agas-operated tell-tale located on the under-surface of the forward partof thefuselage.

, 15. In a gas distribution system for aeronautical vehicles, thecombination with a flask constituting the source of compressed gas, anda discharge pipe connected thereto, of a control valve connected to suchpipe havingan operating handle adapted to-work said valve and alsohaving means connecting said handle to operate a means at said fiask torelease the gas into said discharge pipe, such valve having at least twosettings for directing gas flow, a vent pipe in 16. In a CO: system foraeronautical vehicles.

the combination with a flask constituting the source of CO2, and adischarge pipe connected thereto, of a control valve connected to suchpipe having an operating handle adapted to work said valve and alsohaving means connecting said handle to operate means at said flask torelease the gas into said discharge pipe, such valve hav- I ing at leasttwo settings for directing gas flow,

plate attachable thereto in different angular relasaid disk and in suchrelation thereto as to serve as a limiting stop for the rotationthereof.

12. A fire extinguishing system comprising a gas-flask, disk-sealed andprovided with a diskpuncini'ring device, a distribution pipe systemleading therefrom to outlets at two or more fire hazards, a pull handlehaving connection wherereleasing use thereof when in the first of said'mentioned settings.

17. In a gas fire extinguishing system, the

combination of a disc-sealed source of C02 con-' fined in liquid form, apipe system and a selector valve therein for directing the gas to one oranother point of discharge, said valve including a valve chamber subjectto the gas pressure during discharge, and a rotary valve disc thereinhaving a metallic seat and adapted to be pressed to said seat by thepressure in said chamber said valve disc being of non-metallic materialwhereby it may be turned during discharge, a handle for so turning itand another handle for first rupturing the, sealing disc so as to causethe discharge.

18. In an aeronautical vehicle, a flask of carbon dioxide having adischarge head adapted 7 registered port to an overboard dischargefixture secured in an outer wall of the vehicle and a pipe lineconnecting each one of the other ports to points inside the vehicle anda handle at the pilot's'station whereby said valve member may be shiftedfrom its said normal position to either of the other positions.

19. In an aeronautic vehicle, the combination with a flask of carbondioxide provided with a gas-confining discharge head, means at theoperator's station for operating said head to discharge the gas to oneor more hazards within the vehicle and a vent pipe for gas that leaksfrom the flask or flows therefrom on the spontaneous rupture of itsconfining means leading to and terminating in a fixture secured in theouter wall of the vehicle, said fixture being located on the lower sideof the vehicle body in a position to be seen by ground attendants andincluding a visible leak indicator.

20. In an aeronautic vehicle, a carbon dioxide flask, a pipe systemconnecting it to a plurality of discharge points, a selector valveelement for directing gas to any one of such points to the exclusion ofthe others, a gas release element,

a handle having connections for respectively opcrating both saidelements and a supplementary handle having connection only to theselector valve element.

21. In an aeronautic vehicle, a disc-sealed flask of carbon dioxidehaving an operating head with a cutter for the disc and connected with apipe system to discharge the gas at one or more fire hazards, saidsystem including a selector valve in said pipe system having a fiat discvalve element adapted to direct the discharge to one hazard or the otheraccording to its adjustment, a hollow spindle by which such disc isrotated, a handle removably carried on said spindle, a cable extendingfrom said handle through the spindle to the disc cutter and a sheave forsaid cable carried on the valve body.

22. In an aeronautic vehicle, the combination with a flask of compressedgas provided with a discharge head normally confining the gas therein, aconduit connecting such head with a directing valve controlling twoconduits, one of i such conduits connecting such valve to a dischargepoint within the vehicle, and the other connecting such valve to a ventfixture, said fixture being secured in the outer wall of the vehicle andincluding a gas-operated element visible from outside the vehicle forindicating gas leakage as from the spontaneous opening of said dischargehead and means at the operators station for adjusting said valve and foractuating said discharge head for purposely releasing the gas into saidconduit.

23. In a high pressure fluid medium distribution system comprising ahigh pressure fluid medium releasably confined in a container, 9.releasing mechanismadapted to be actuated by a cable, a dischargeconduit for said container, and a plurality of distribution conduits forsaid fluid medium, the combination of cable actuating means, a cablesecured to said cable actuating means leading to said releasingmechanism.

and a distribution valve for controlling the passage of the fluid mediumthrough the conduits comprisin a valve body having an inlet adapted toreceive said discharge conduit and a plurality of outlet passagesadapted to be connected to said distribution conduits, a valve memberrotatable in the valve body by said cable actuating means independentlyof the actuation of said cable and adapted upon rotation to change therespective outlet passage communicating with the inlet passage of thevalve body, and cable guide means in said member adapted to receive thecable.

24. In a high pressure fluid medium distribution system comprising ahigh pressure fluid mediumconflned in a container, a fluid mediumreleasing mechanism for said container adapted to be actuated by anactuating member, a discharge conduit for said container, and aplurality of distribution conduits for said medium, the combination of afluid medium distribution valve operatively disposed between saiddischarge and said distribution conduits, an actuating member secured tosaid releasing mechanism, means to actuate said actuating member andsaid valve secured to said member and operatively combined with saidvalve adapted for independent actuating movements for the member and thevalve respectively, whereby the valve and the actuating member areactuatable by said actuating means, each independently of the other. 7

25. In a high pressure fluid medium distribution system comprising ahigh pressure fluid medium confined in a' container, a fluid mediumreleasing mechanism for said container adapted to be actuated by anactuating member, a discharge conduit for said container, and aplurality of distribution conduits for said medium, the combination of afluid medium distribution valve operatively disposed between saiddischarge and said distribution conduits, an actuating member secured tosaid releasing mechanism, means to actuate said actuating member andsaid valve secured to the member and operatively combined with saidvalve adapted for actuating movements independent of each other for thevalve and the actuating member respectively, and interlocking meansassociated with said valve and said actuating means, whereby theactuating member is actuatable in accordance with the operative positionof the valve.

26. In a high pressure gas distribution system comprising a gas flask, agas releasing device and a distribution system including a rotaryselector valve adapted to direct the discharge to one or anotherdischarge outlet, means for operating said system comprising a singlehandle for rotating the valve and operating said device and an auxiliaryhandle for rotating said valve.

27. In a gas distribution system for airplanes, the combination with aflask of compressed gas, gas-releasing means normally confiningthe gastherein, a piping system normally subject only to atmospheric pressureleading from said flask to one or more discharge outlets Within theairplane, and including a pipe line terminatin at the skin of theairplane on the lower side thereof, at a point visible to attendantswhen the Plane is grounded, and a tell-tale connected with the end ofsaid line containing gas-operated means adapted to record the occurrenceof a pressure increase in said pipe line incident to gas escape fromsaid flask.

CHARLES H. LINDSAY.

